This clamp is notably applied to the treatment of heart valves, and in particular to the treatment of mitral valves.
A mitral valve typically consists of two leaflets, both anterior and posterior, and controls the blood flow which flows from the left auricle to the left ventricle of the heart. The mitral valve ensures one-way circulation of the blood flow, avoiding blood backflow at the end of the ventricular contraction.
In order to avoid blood backflow, the leaflets of the valve should ensure coaptation through their free edges.
In the case of prolapse, i.e. release of the wall of the leaflet, one of the leaflets has a bulge which defines a thickened and surface-increased protruding area. The prolapse may then prevent the valve from closing sealably. The result of this is mitral insufficiency, i.e. a backflow of the blood into the left auricle when the ventricle contracts.
A possible treatment of this disease consists in surgical ablation of the prolapse. However, such an invasive operation is tedious and has non-negligible risks for the patient, notably when the patient is old and/or with poor health.
In order to overcome this problem, another means known for treating this disease in an endovascular way consists of placing a clip intended to form a connection point between the anterior leaflet and the posterior leaflet, at the prolapse. This allows restoration of coaptation between the leaflets of the valve at the prolapse.
However, the clip forms a permanent connection point between the leaflets of the valve. Thus, upon opening of the valve, the leaflets only open on either side of the connection point creating two distinct passage apertures. The blood then flows through two separate routes from each other through the connection point.
This type of treatment suppresses the problem at the prolapse. However, it does not give entire satisfaction, since it perturbs the coaptation of the leaflets away from the prolapse, and since it perturbs the passing of the blood at the valve.